WAMI Show and Hall of Fame Announcements

WISCONSIN AREA MUSIC INDUSTRY 37th AWARDS SHOW SET FOR SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2017 IN MILWAUKEE The 2017

WAMI Hall Of Fame Inductees Announced MILWAUKEE, WI – The winners and nominees of the 37th annual Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Awards will be honored, alongside a remarkable slate of Hall of Fame inductees, as the annual WAMI Awards Show returns to Milwaukee’s historic Turner Hall on Sunday, April 23. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 3 and will be available at the Turner Hall/Pabst Theater/Riverside Theater Box Office, or at www.pabstheater.org. Ticket prices are $15 student, $25 general admission, $49.99 VIP single and $94.99 VIP couple, plus fees. In addition to presenting more than 35 awards to Wisconsin’s finest in the music industry, the show will feature live music performances, as well as the induction of this year’s WAMI Hall of Fame honorees.

ABOUT ERIC BENÉT: Milwaukee native and four-time Grammy Award nominee Eric Benét began his early days singing lead for the pop group Gerard in the late 80s and later with the band Benét. Signed to Warner Bros as a solo artist in 1994, Benét released his debut album in 1994, but it was his sophomore release in 1999 that garnered him his first No. 1 R&B single, “Spend My Life With You,” featuring Tamia. Benét continues to record and tour, and to date, has released 8 studio albums. He has also garnered recognition as an actor in television and film.

ABOUT SHORT STUFF: Founded in 1969 by blues harmonica player Jim Liban, Short Stuff was a mainstay on the Milwaukee blues scene until 1984. Junior Brantley joined the line-up shortly after the inception of the band, adding his unique keyboard stylings and vocals. The band released two albums and several 45’s on the Third Coast Records label.

ABOUT BRYAN LEE: Born in 1943 in Two Rivers, Grammy nominee Bryan Lee, also known as “Braille Blues Daddy,” lost his eyesight as a young boy and was legally blind at the age of eight. By the age of 15, Bryan was playing guitar and singing for audiences across the Midwest. In the late 1950s he opened for Bill Haley & The Comets. From the 1960s thru the 1970s, Lee’s music interest became heavily influenced by the sound of the Chicago Blues. Based out of New Orleans since 1982, Lee has been a fixture in the French Quarter and also tours around the country regularly. He has 15 albums to his credit.

WAMI members are reminded that they can cast their votes in each musical category through February 8. Wisconsin music fans, including non-WAMI members, can vote for their favorites online via the WAMI People’s Choice Awards, accessed via the WAMI website: www.WAMImusic.com. Voting for the People’s Choice Awards begins Feb. 10 and ends March 8th at 11:59pm. The Wisconsin Area Music Industry is a volunteer organization whose purpose is to educate and recognize the achievements and accomplishments of individuals in the Wisconsin music industry. The group also provides opportunities for youth to perform in an annual Youth Music Showcase, while encouraging students and emerging artists by awarding scholarship monies to assist with their music education. For more information contact Sue Schrader (Sue@BlondeAmbitionPR.com) at Blonde Ambition Public Relations, 262.377.4180.